Brooks, who married former race horse trainer Charlie Brooks in 2009, resigned from News International shortly after the paper was shut down, saying her "desire to remain on the bridge" had made her a "focal point" of debate as the full extent of the phone hacking scandal emerged.

Former NOTW staffer Trevor Davis, in a blog for the Huffington Post UK, said that staff at The Sun were "all too aware of how their friends at the News of the World were treated" and did not "trust Murdoch".

According to a statement from the Met, police often find horses a "suitable retirement home" when they reach the end of their working life.

"Whilst responsibility for feeding the animal and paying vet bills passes to the person entrusted to its care at its new home, the horse remains the property of the Metropolitan Police Service. Retired police horses are not sold on and can be returned to the care of the MPS at any time.”

"In 2008 a retired MPS horse was loaned to Rebekah Brooks."

Police said the horse was re-housed with an officer in 2010. According to reports on Tuesday evening, Brooks returned the horse, named Raisa, in a poor condition.